My Mother-in-Law Sold My Washer, So I Stripped the Whole House

The day after the wedding, my mother-in-law sold the washing machine right out of our new home.

"I never had a washing machine when I was young, and I got along just fine. That thing is a pure waste of electricity. From now on, you'll wash the laundry by hand. Think of it as exercise."

I looked at my husband, expecting him to say something reasonable.

Instead, he put on his most earnest voice:

"People really did get by without washing machines."

"Mom's just looking out for you."

I nodded, as if I agreed.

That same afternoon, I hired a renovation crew to strip every last fixture from the house and sold off every appliance.

When my husband and his mother came home to bare concrete walls and empty rooms, their jaws hit the floor.

"Lorraine Henson, have you lost your mind?! Why would you tear apart a perfectly good home?!"

I gave them a faint smile.

"People in the old days didn't have renovations or appliances either."

"Since we're going back to basics, let's commit."

……

Five in the morning. My mother-in-law marched to my bedside carrying a basket heaped with dirty laundry and shook me awake.

"Lorraine, it's already five. Get up and wash the clothes."

I was dead on my feet, barely conscious, and mumbled back:

"Just toss them in the washing machine. Let me sleep a little longer."

The day before had been my wedding day with Abner James.

I'd been up since three in the morning for hair and makeup, and hadn't collapsed into bed until one a.m.

A full day of exhaustion and only four hours of sleep. Nowhere close to enough.

I figured she'd understand how tired I was and let me rest a bit more.

Instead, she ripped the covers off me.

"I already sold the washing machine. From now on, everything gets washed by hand."

I shot upright, wide awake.

"That machine was brand new. I just bought it a couple of days ago. I hadn't even used it once. How could you sell it?"

Abner was fully awake now too, staring at his mother in confusion.

This apartment was the home we'd bought specifically for our marriage.

I'd put real thought into every piece of furniture and every appliance.

That washing machine had a built-in dryer and a sanitize cycle. I'd picked it so we wouldn't have to worry about laundry even on rainy days.

I could not wrap my head around it. The protective film was still on, and she'd already sold it.

Agnes Finch frowned slightly and looked at me the way you'd look at a child who didn't know any better.

"You young people are too dependent on your gadgets."

"I never had a washing machine when I was young, and I got along just fine."

"All that thing does is run up the electric bill. I sold it while it still looked new. Got over a thousand dollars for it, too."

My mind went blank.

"A thousand dollars?"

That machine was top of the line, fully loaded. I'd paid over eight thousand for it.

Never used once, and she flipped it for a thousand.

Agnes was still basking in her own brilliance, hands on her hips, beaming with pride.

"That's right."

"You young people have no idea how to save money or make money. You could really learn a thing or two from me."

Before I could respond, she hauled me out of bed and started pushing me toward the door.

"Enough talk, it's getting late. Get moving. From now on, you're up at five every morning to hand-wash the whole family's laundry. Saves money, saves electricity, and keeps you in shape."

Had she completely lost her mind?

She'd deliberately sold our washing machine so I could wake up at five every morning and scrub the entire family's clothes by hand?

It was beyond absurd, but I kept my composure and tried to explain calmly.

"Mom, I leave for work at seven every morning. Working late past midnight is normal for me. If I have to get up at five to do laundry by hand, I'll only be sleeping four or five hours a night."